Latest news with #EricStubbs
CBC
21-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Ottawa police introduce new mounted unit
The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) introduced its new mounted unit Tuesday, touting the horse force as a way to both improve community engagement and meet the practical demands of urban policing. Mounted officers on seven Clydesdales will be deployed across the city over the coming months, Chief Eric Stubbs said during a "soft launch" in front of OPS headquarters on Elgin Street. The unit will be fully operational by 2026. Stubbs said the horses are trained to remain calm in unpredictable environments including noise, large crowds and tight spaces, and said their presence can help de-escalate tense situations. "People react differently when there's an 1,800-pound [816-kilogram] horse in front of them," Stubbs said. "Tempers drop, body language shifts, and it gives our officers a chance to connect rather than confront." In a news release, the OPS said the mounted unit will "respond to a wide range of operational needs, including community patrols, crowd management, and crisis response." Mayor Mark Sutcliffe also attended Tuesday's launch, lauding the mounted unit as both a nod to tradition and a forward-thinking investment in public safety and community outreach. "One mounted officer can have the presence of a dozen on the ground," Sutcliffe said. "That's important during major events and demonstrations when visibility and crowd movement really matter." Sutcliffe said Ottawa's last mounted police unit folded in 1993. Horses needed training Stubbs credited the persistence of Const. Eric Mougeot for reviving the mounted unit. "Eric has had this vision for seven to eight years," Stubbs said. "Because of him, we're here today in terms of that drive and that passion." Idling atop seven-year-old Ripp, Mougeot said horses provide a unique opportunity to connect with the community. "It's the most efficient tool to connect with a citizen. There's no more powerful tool," he said. A police officer for 23 years and a lifelong farmer, Mougeot said he trained with a mounted unit in Toronto for 10 weeks following a longer stint with the RCMP. Staff Sgt. Stephanie Burns, another officer in charge of the mounted unit, said the horses come from all over Ontario and Quebec and had little to no training. "They were pulled out of farmers' field, they were pulled out of backyards," Burns said. "Some of them had never had a person on their back before, so the training process takes a while." Burns said the horses are taught basic manoeuvres before gradually being exposed to large crowds and loud noises including trucks and emergency vehicles. "The more busy the environment the better it is, and the quieter the horses become," Burns said. "We just gradually introduce more stressful environments and eventually the horses take it all in stride." Questions over cost, intent Lauren Shadley, a criminal defence lawyer from Montreal, noted protests are necessary for democracy but can sometimes escalate. "We need non-violent ways to de-escalate," she said. "I'm hoping that the horse unit ... can do that." OPS said the province will supply $1.4 million annually toward the mounted unit, including eight officers and eight horses, for the next three years. Justin Piché, a criminology professor at the University of Ottawa, said he'd like to see a clearer cost breakdown. "When you're spending that kind of money, you should be able to articulate where the money is going," he said. Piché also expressed concern about how the mounted unit will be deployed, especially if it's disproportionately used to control social justice demonstrations. "That's just been the history of policing and their use of protest policing in this city," he said. The seven Clydesdales currently in the OPS stable are Ace, Arran, Angus, Deputy, Rio, Ripp and Will Power, the largest horse at over 18 hands high. An eighth horse will be added. "The horses are stabled within the city and receive daily care from their handlers, including feeding, grooming, medical attention, and exercise," according to the OPS. And yes, they are approachable if you see them out in public.
Ottawa Citizen
21-05-2025
- Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa Police Mounted Unit about to take to the streets
The public can expect to begin seeing police officers on horseback throughout the city after the Ottawa Police Mounted Unit was introduced Tuesday. Article content Article content Officers and horses will continue their training in preparation for full operations, participating in select community events and familiarizing themselves with the city's neighbourhoods and public spaces, the Ottawa Police Service said in a news release. Article content Article content It did not specify how many horses would initially be part of the unit, but said it would continue to expand and 'enhance its capabilities' leading up to becoming fully operational with eight horses and riders by 2026. An Ottawa Citizen story in November 2024 said the police planned to have four horses in service by the spring of 2025 before adding another four the next year. Article content 'This launch of the Unit marks an important step in enhancing public safety and operational efficiency, reflecting the Ottawa Police Service's commitment to improving community engagement and meeting diverse policing needs across the city,' the release read. Article content The mounted unit will allow police to engage with residents, and respond to many different operational needs, including community patrols, crowd management and crisis response, police said. Article content Article content The officers will ride Clydesdales, which were selected for their strength, intelligence and calm demeanour. Article content Article content 'We are excited to introduce this new unit, which will greatly enhance our ability to address a variety of operational challenges, from managing large events to routine patrols,' Ottawa police Chief Eric Stubbs said. 'It's a powerful tool for ensuring public safety while also allowing us to engage with the community in a more visible and approachable way.' Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
CBC
10-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
South Ottawa police station forging ahead despite soil problems
Social Sharing Construction on the Ottawa Police Service's (OPS) new south district station faced delays due to "unfavourable soil conditions" at the site next to the Rideau River, but the city's police chief says the project is forging ahead. The new police station at 3505 Prince of Wales Dr. will host 500 sworn officers and civilian employees in a "state-of-the-art" facility that will also house a 911 communications centre plus marine, dive and tactical units. It will also include community policing and collision reporting centres. The major infrastructure project has been in the works for more than a decade, with initial design work beginning in 2018. After a temporary pause in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a groundbreaking ceremony finally took place in 2023. At that time, the project was estimated to cost $115 million and be completed in 2026. Now, the budget has increased to about $187 million and the facility is not expected to open before the spring of 2027. According to OPS, the delay is being blamed on soft soil at the construction site. Geotechnical testing was conducted ahead of the groundbreaking, but the full extent of the problem only became apparent during piling work, police said. On Friday, Chief Eric Stubbs said the project remains within the expanded budget, and said he's confident the soil problem has now been addressed. "They're not going to build something if they're not comfortable with the foundation and ground underneath it. They did find issues and resolved it and we have a healthy building," Stubbs told CBC. Stubbs joined members of the OPS board and local city councillors on Friday at a "topping-off recognition ceremony" to mark the completion of the building's structural framework. Attendees signed an OPS flag which will be sealed in a time capsule and enclosed in the building when construction is complete. Stubbs said he's confident there will be no significant delays going forward.
The Hindu
29-04-2025
- The Hindu
Indian student missing in Canada for three days found dead
A 21-year-old Indian student who went missing three days ago in Canada's Ontario province has been found dead, according to authorities. Vanshika's death was confirmed by the Indian High Commission in Ottawa in an 'X' post on Monday (April 28, 2025). "We are deeply saddened to be informed of the death of Ms. Vanshika, student from India in Ottawa," it said, adding that concerned authorities have taken up the case, which is now under investigation. We are deeply saddened to be informed of the death of Ms. Vanshika, student from India in Ottawa. The matter has been taken up with concerned authorities and the cause is under investigation as per local police. We are in close contact with the bereaved kin and local community… — India in Canada (@HCI_Ottawa) April 28, 2025 Vanshika went missing last Friday (April 25, 2025) after leaving her residence at 7 Majestic Drive in Ottawa at around 8-9 p.m. to view a rental room, according to a social media post by an Indo-Canadian association linked by the High Commission. According to the post, her phone was switched off at approximately 11.40 p.m. that night and she missed an important exam the next day, which it said was "completely out of character" for the student. The High Commission said it was in "close contact with the bereaved kin and local community associations to provide all possible assistance". In an earlier post on 'X', it had urged people with any information about the case to contact local community organisations. In a letter to the Ottawa Police Service Chief Eric Stubbs, Hindu Community in Ottawa President Parmod Chhabra said the community was deeply worried, "fearing the worst". The letter was also linked by the High Commission in its 'X' post. Mr. Chhabra requested the police chief's personal attention and intervention, urging the Ottawa Police Service to "escalate this case, allocate appropriate resources, and prioritise the investigation into Vanshika's disappearance".
CBC
25-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Parliament Hill police unit fully staffed by end of 2026
A new unit of Ottawa Police officers patrolling Parliament Hill is set to be fully staffed by the end of next year. A federal funding boost of $50 million over five years is supporting the creation of 40 sworn positions and nine civilian positions at OPS to allow the service to create a Parliamentary District. A new Police Liaison Team will operate around Parliament, focusing on engagement with community organizations. It is meant to build community trust while mitigating the impacts of protests. The move follows calls for heightened security around Parliament. "Certainly it is growth for our organization," said OPS chief Eric Stubbs during a Monday news conference ahead of a police services board meeting where details of the new unit were released. The initiative aligns with recommendations from the Public Order Emergency Commission in response to the federal government's use of the Emergencies Act to end the 2022 Freedom Convoy protests. Stubbs said police already change their security levels when Members of Parliament are in the city for House sittings, but the new unit will help create "more of a presence." As part of the Parliamentary District's creation, funding will be used to hire four full-time civilian positions dedicated to open-source intelligence monitoring and analysis. Three full-time civilian positions and one sworn position are being added to an event management section to assist with federal events, such as Canada Day, Remembrance Day, and ongoing protests related to the federal government. Staffing increases will be phased in over the next year, with the Parliamentary District expected to be fully operational by the end of 2026, allowing police to focus on other priority areas like improving safety in the Byward Market and reducing intimate partner violence. "There's so many different areas that we're trying to stabilize and grow to really deliver for the community," said Stubbs. Security in the Parliamentary Precinct involves multiple agencies. The Parliamentary Protective Service (PPS) is responsible for security on Parliament Hill but does not have peace officer status, relying on OPS for law enforcement. The RCMP provides protection for Canadian dignitaries, including the prime minister and Governor General. The number of MPs requesting security has doubled in the past five years, according to the RCMP.
